Fuel-supply device



April 12 1927.

1,624,139 C. F. KETTERING FUEL SUPPLY DEVICE Filed March 29, 1924 I ZZL J Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. KETTERING, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FUEL-SUPPLY DEVICE.

Application filed March 29, 1924. Serial No. 702,992.

This invention relates to improvements in fuel supply devices for internal combustion engines.

It is among the objects of the present invention to divert when necessary, for priming purposes, a portion of the fuel being delivered from a main fuel supply tank to the carburetor of the engine.

Another object is to render the operation of a main fuel supply device dependent upon manual control when the priming device has been operated to divert a portion of the main fuel supply, for priming purposes.

These objects are attained by providing a main fuel supply apparatus, which includes a main fuel supply tank, a carburetor and means for delivering the fuel from the tank to the carburetor, with a by-pass connected to the fuel delivering meansand the intake manifold of the engine. The by-pass is normally closed; however, when the same,

is opened, the fuel delivering means will at the same time be rendered inoperative.

In order to cause fuel to flow through the by-pass to the intake manifold of the engine for priming purposes, -a manually operable control element will, when operated, again permit the fuel delivering means to operate and fuel will then be directed to the intake manifold as well as the engine carburetor.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a 35 preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

l is drawing is a diagrammatic view sho ing the various elements of tie device ieir respective mechanical and electriicctiens.

to the drawing, the numeral 20 27 with the inside of the tank 25. This pump may be of any suitable type adapted to draw from one receptacle and deliver it to another. The present invention is shown including an. electrically operated pump comprising an electromagnet winding 28 shown in dotted lines, which, by intermittent energization, will tend to cause pulsations of the pump to draw fuel from the tank and deliver the same through the conduit 29 to. the carburetor 24.

The means for diverting a portion of the fuel which is being delivered to the carburetor and for transmitting it to the intake manifold directly comprises a by-pass conduit 30 connected to and in communication with the conduit 29 by means of an elbow connection or the like, designated by the numeral 31. This conduit has a forked connection 32 at its opposite end, one branch of the fork member having a pipe 33 in communication therewith which also communicates with the one dividing head of one pair of cylinders while the other forked portion of the element 32 is provided with a pipe 34 communicating with another head portion of another pair of cylinders. Included. in this conduit '30 is a controhvalve 35 which comprises a body portion 36'having'a sliding valve member 37 located therein. The body 36 has a longitudinal channel with which the inlet passage 38 and an outlet pipe 39 communicate. The portion of the conduit 30 connected with the conduit 29 is in communication with the inlet passage 38 while the portion of the conduit 30 which is connected with the intake manifold directly has its end connected with the outlet passage 39. The slide valve 37 is normally held in intake passage closing position, as shown on the drawing, by means of spring 40 intcrp-csed between said valve and an end ccver plate il.

hereto, the opposite end of said stern iected to a lever 43 fulcrr This lever 43 is herein priming lever and for co trolling the valve V (1 also constitutes the means for render pump inoperative inasmuch as the connected znc-vable c 7 The slide valve 37 has a stem 42 con till a slot in said contact member. This contact member is fulcrumed at the point 47, and is provided with a projection 48 which, when the priming lever is operated to move the slide valve 37 out of intake passage closing position, will bridge the stationary contacts 49 and 50 for purposes hereinafter described.

The means for operating the pump 26 comprises a circuit interrupter 52 adapted to be brought into circuit connection with the source of electrical energy 53 by closing the switch 54. The closing of the switch 54 will also connect the ignition system 55 of the engine, with the source of electrical energy.

The circuit interrupter comprises a core 56 having a magnet winding 57, one end of which is connected to one end of the pump operating coil 28, while the opposite end is connected to the interrupter armature 58. The armature supports a contact 59, normally held in engagement with a stationary contact 60 by means of the spring 61.

The means for re-establishing the function of the pump operating means while the bypass conduit is being maintained open, comprises a switch, having a stationary contact 62 and a movable contact 63. A push button 64 is held in normal, contact closing position by means of a spring 65 and is adapted to be operated by the operator to disengage the contacts 62 and 63. The stationary contact 62 is in connection with the stationary contact 60 of the circuit interrupter 52 by means of a wire 66. The movable contact 63 is connected with the stationary contact 50. The stationary contact 49 has a wire connection 67 with the wire 68 which in turn connects the two ends of the coils 28 and 57.

When the driver desires to operate the internal combustion engine, the switch is closed thereby permitting current to flow from the battery across the switch, part of the curren flowing to the ignition system 55, the other portion of the current flowing across the two contacts 60 and 59 of the circuit interrupter 52, thence through the armature, interrupter coil 57, wire 68, through the pump operating coil 28 and back to the battery via the ground connections. Current flowing through the coil 57 will energize the core 56 thus attracting the armature 58 against the effect of the spring 6t thereby breaking the circuit through coil 57. by the. disengagement of contacts 59 and (ill. This will cause deenergization of the core and permit the spring to return the armature to contact engaging position thereby again restorii'ig the How of current through the winding of the interrupter. The operation of the interrupter will be intermittent thus the current flowi 'ou l coil 28 of the pump l v broken a lines.

and draw fuel from the tank 25 delivering said fuel through the conduit 29, to the carburetor 24.

However, if the engine does not immediately start and the driver deemsit necessary to prime the same for facilitating the starting thereof, he moves the priming lever 43 from the position shown in full lines on the drawing to the position shown in dotted This will move the stem 42 in the direction of the arrow thus moving the slide valve 37 out of the normally by-pass closing position. Communication is now established between both portions of the by-pass conduit 30 that is the upper portion or that which connects with the manifold directly and the lower portion which connects with the main fuel conduit 29. Concurrently with moving the slide element 37 of the valve 35 in the direction of the arrow, the arm 45 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction about its fulcrum 47 causing the extension 48 to bridge the gap between the con tacts 49 and 50 thus closing the circuit permitting current to flow from the battery 53, across the switch 54, throughthe wire 66, stationary contact 62, movable contact 63, contact 60, bridge element 48, contact 49, wires 67 and 68, through the pump operating winding 28, back to the battery via the ground connections. Establishing this circuit will short circuit the circuit interrupter 52 while maintaining a. constant current through the pump winding 28. This will hold the pumpin element of the pump in one position there y rendering the pump inoperative.

In order to get fuel delivery through the by-passconduit 30, valve 35, into the intake manifold directly for the priming purposes, the operator now presses on the button 64 moving the movable contact 63 out of engagement with the stationary contact 62 thus destroying the short circuit about the circuit interrupter 52 and again permitting the same to function. This will again cause the pump to pulsate and draw fuel from the tank and discharge it into the conduit 29. A portion of this fuel will enter into the bypass conduit 30, pass through the intake passage 38, into the interior of the body por tion 36., thence through the outlet passage 39 through the upper portion of the conduit 30. enter element 32 where it will be divided. a portion flowing to the dividing head of one pair of cylinders and another portion to the dividing head of another pair of cylinders.

This priming operation may be main mined as long as the operator depresses the tuition 64. As soon as pressure on this button is released and while the primer lever 43 is still in the priming position, the pump will agai be rendered inoperative. cause continuous n .llil) pump for normal running conditions, the priming lever must again be returned to its normal position as shown in full lines at which time the short around the circuit interrupter 52 will be broken and the by-pass conduit valve 35 closed to prevent fuel from being pumped directly to the engine manifold during the normal engine operation.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention .as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms-might be adopted,all com.

ing within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake passage, comprising in combination, main fuel supply apparatus including a fuel tank; pump and carburetor; a priming device connected to the pump and inlet passage, said device being normally inoperative; means for rendering the priming device operative and the ump inoperative; and means for reestablis ing the pump operation while the priming device is operative.

2. A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake, comprising in combination, a carburetor; a main fuel supply tank; means including a pump for delivering fuel from the tank to the carburetor; a discharge conduit connected to the pump and including diverging portions one of which communicateswith the.

carburetor, the other with the intake; a normally closedvalve in the conduit communieating with the intake; means for opening the valve and for rendering the pump in operative; and means operable to reestablish pump operation while the valve is maintained in open position.

3. A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake, comprising in combination, a carburetor; a main fuel supply tank; means including a pump for delivering fuel from the tank to the carburetor; a discharge conduit connected to the pump and including diverging portions, one of which communicates with the carburetor, the other with the intake; a normally closed valve in the conduit communicating with the intake: means for opening the valve and for rendering the pump inoperative; and means operable at will to reestablish pump operation while the valve is maintained in open position. i

4. A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake manifold, comprising in combination, a carburetor; a main fuel tank; means including a pump for delivering fuel from the tank to the carburetor; means for operating the pump; a normally closed by-pass connected to the intake manifold and fuel delivering means; means concurrently rendering the delivering means and the intake manifold;

means for opening the by-pass and for shortcircuiting the pump operating means; and means operable at will to render the short circuiting means ineffective while the bypass is maintained open whereby the pump will operate to deliver fuel to the intake manifold for priming purposes.

6. A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake manifold, comprising in combination, a carburetor; a main fuel sunply'tank; means including a magnetically operated pump for delivering fuel from the tank'to the carburetor; a source of electrical energy; a pump operating means and circuit therefor; means for connecting the pump operating means, in circuit with the source of electrical energy; anormally closed by-pass communieating with the fuel delivering means and the intake manifold; means for opening the by-pass and for short circuiting the pump operating means; and means operable at will to render the short-circuiting means inefiective while the bypass is maintained open whereby the pump will operate to deliver fuel to the intake manifold for primin purposes.

A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake manifold comprising in combination, a carburetor; a main fuel supply tank; means including a magnetically operated pump for delivering fuel from the tank to the car-bu retor; a source of electrical energy; a cir-' cuit interrupter for causing the pump to operate; a switch for connecting the circuit interrupter in circuit with the source of electrical energy; a normally inoperative bypass cominunicating with the fuel delivering means and the intake manifold; means for rendering the by-pass operative and at the same time short-circuiting the circuit interrupter; and means operable at will to break the short circuit while the by-pass is maintained in operative, fuel passing condition.

8. A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including an intake manifold comprising in combination, a carbu retor; a main fuel supply tank: means in cluding a magnetically operated pump for litiiil delivering fuel from the tank to the carburetor; a source of electrical energy; a circuit interrupter for causinx the pump to operate; a switch for connecting the circuit interrupter in circuit with the source of electrical energy; a normally ino erative by-pass communicating with the uel delivering means and the intake manifold; 21 valve for con trolling the by-pass; a circuit interrupter;

10 short circuiting means including a pair of macaw normally closed contacts and apair of normally open contacts; bridging means for closing the normally open contacts manually controlled means for operating the valve and bridging means at the same time; and means for opening the normally closed contacts at will.

In testimony whereof ll hereto ai'fix my signature.

CHARLES F. KETTERING. 

